Accelerating adoption of zero-emission trucking

TRANSPORT SECTOR contributes 8.4% of total emissions in India, with freight transport, dominated by heavy-duty trucks, playing a major role. Trucks represent just 3% of vehicle fleet, yet emit 53% particulate matter. With truck sales projected to grow sixfold to 69 million by 2070-71, addressing freight-related emissions is critical.

- Christoph Wolff

Zero-emission trucking (ZET) took the spotlight at recent COP29, with initiatives such as the Global MoU on Zero-Emission Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles, and the Zero-Emission Vehicle Declaration.

India is a key player in the Global South, and with advancements in electric buses and initiatives like eFAST, it can spearhead the global transition to ZET.

The Indian landscape Although India's EV charging infrastructure is expanding, it's insufficient for ZET. There are only 12,146 public EV charging stations that mainly cater to passenger vehicles and light commercial EVs - medium and heavy-duty electric trucks require higher-capacity chargers and strategically-placed networks along freight corridors.